New attack on Hybrid Technology...

The chairman of Bosch's automotive group - the world's biggest supplier to the car industry - today crushed any hope that hybrids could become a major tool to cut CO2 emissions in Europe.Dr Bernd Bohr told CAR Online that even by 2015, fewer than 5 percent of all new cars sold in Europe will be hybrids. 'We are talking tens of thousands per manufacturer, not hundreds of thousands,' he said. 'Hybrid technology does not make sense unless you are driving in city traffic.'

Dr Bernd Bohr told CAR Online that even by 2015, fewer than 5 percent of all new cars sold in Europe will be hybrids. 'We are talking tens of thousands per manufacturer, not hundreds of thousands,' he said. 'Hybrid technology does not make sense unless you are driving in city traffic.'

His attack proves that hybrids will remain a bit part player in a European market of 17 million cars a year; Bohr said that many manufacturers were currently in the early stages of developing hybrid know-how, but very few had actually committed. Bosch currently employs just 200 engineers on the technology - largely to learn more about battery tech.

But he admitted hybrids would play a small role in bringing carbon emissions down - especially in big, heavy premium cars and SUVs. 'They make sense for these customers, who want a big expensive car but don't want to be seen to be excessive,' added Bohr. Bosch today confirmed it was working with VW, Audi and Porsche to bring a petrol-electric off-roader to market by 2008 - the jointly developed Touareg, Q7 and Cayenne.continued at:http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/news.php?sid=776&page=1

Europe is so unquestioningly loyal to diesel, they tend to dismiss any other technology, it seems. Right now, the Japanese are the hybrid technology leaders. I'd say the Americans are running a close second, and may be leaders soon, if E-Flex turns out to be as revolutionary as some think it may be.

I'm kind of surprised the Europeans aren't more behind hybrids, considering the extortionary prices they pay for fuel, I'd think they'd be in favor of any new technology that would improve fuel economy.